


They charge twice the price for food and beverages in cafés when it's half the portion of their counterpart at your local diner

by velvetcat09



Category: Gintama
Genre: Conversations, Established Relationship, M/M, Relationship Study, interpret it however you like, probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29226708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velvetcat09/pseuds/velvetcat09
Summary: A rather amicable conversation between the Yorozuya boss and Shinsengumi Vice-commander.
Relationships: Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki
Comments: 3
Kudos: 77





	They charge twice the price for food and beverages in cafés when it's half the portion of their counterpart at your local diner

**Author's Note:**

> i couldn't sleep  
> so here is something i wrote to pass the time until mr.sunshine rises up

“One strawberry chocolate parfait with extra syrup.” Gintoki hands the menu back to the waitress.

“Black coffee for me.” Hijikata hands it as well. The waitress bows and leaves the two men sitting on the booth near the window alone.

Gintoki leans back on the sofa while Hijikata has his arms crossed over his chest. They watch the scenery outside the window, of people passing by in their daily buzz. The diner is warm with low level of chatter.

“So, how’s work?”

“Same as usual.” Blue eyes glances at the red counterpart. “And you?”

“Likewise, likewise. A couple requests for this week, just enough to feed the house.”

Hijikata rummages for the cigarette carton in his pocket. “I don’t know why you don’t advertise your business; you’ll get a lot of requests, you know.”

“It’s those people who needs services, they’re the one needing our help.” Gintoki shoves a finger inside his ear, scratching at a small itchy spot inside.

“But you need their money, right?” Hijikata taps the bottom of the carton, picking the one stick out with his mouth while the other hand prepares for his lighter.

“Advertisement needs money as well; people’s words are already enough advertisement for the Yorozuya.” Gintoki watches one of the diner employees approaches Hijikata.

“I’m sorry, sir, but smoking is no longer prohibited indoor.” Hijikata mumbled an excuse before plucking the cigarette from his mouth and back into the carton, he puts away his lighter.

Gintoki’s eyes follow the mayoboro carton that is stowed back inside the Vice-commander’s coat pocket.

“You smoke a lot.”

Hijikata gives a small snort. “And your hair is incredibly permed.”

The silver haired samurai leans in, propping his chin on his palm. “When did you start smoking?”

The raven folds his arms again. “None of your business.”

“Sure, sure.” Gintoki rolls his eyes. “It’s the brand, isn’t it? You’re very predictable, you know.”

Hijikata swallows his splutters before opening his mouth again. “…I started after we formed Shinsengumi.”

Their orders arrive, the waitress sliding the chocolate parfait to Gintoki’s side, while the cup of coffee with the sugar packets and creamer over to Hijikata’s side.

“It’s from the stress, yeah?” Hijikata looks up from his cup of coffee to see Gintoki picking up the dessert spoon. Blue eyes only blinked as a reply.

“I get it. It’s the same for me, in a way.” Gintoki scoops a spoonful of the chocolate ice cream. “This, to me, is like that,” he points at Hijikata’s coat pocket. “to you.”

Hijikata quirks an eyebrow. “… You’re just a sweet-addict, though.”

Gintoki takes that spoonful into his mouth. “Doesn’t mean it doesn’t have meaning.”

Hijikata rolls his eyes.

“Sweets, you see,” Red eyes looks down at his parfait, at the ice cream that slowly melts away, at the strawberry pieces that drowns inside the glass. “is a quick way to get energy back, it’s faster than having meal. One kashiwamochi is enough to fill your stomach.”

“So does onigiri. Your logic is flawed as hell.”

“Hey, but it’s true, right? Sugar gets you energy faster, right?” Gintoki twirls the spoon at Hijikata.

“Still, that’s not a healthy source of energy, stupid.” Hijikata clicks his tongue.

“It tastes better than just plain rice, though.” Gintoki scoops the strawberry this time. “Sweets are a luxury, and even now I can only have two parfaits per week.”

Hijikata looks at Gintoki, he stays quiet for a bit.

“You’re right, it is from stress.” He takes his mayonnaise bottle out of his coat, placing it on the table instead of instantly pouring the content into his coffee. He looks at the dark liquid within his cup, watching his own reflection on it. “Addictions all have their roots.”

Gintoki watches Hijikata sips his coffee without the usual dollop of mayonnaise. The bottle only stands there next to the cup.

Gintoki eats his parfait in silent.

“Life is stressful and bitter, that’s why we turn to these things for comfort, huh.” Hijikata stares at the ripple inside his cup. “I don’t even remember when did I start liking mayonnaise, why did I like it…” His eyes glance over the bottle. “It used to be a luxury, it’s not local taste after all.”

They stay quiet for a moment.

“Is it the paperwork?” Gintoki says after finishing another spoonful.

Hijikata takes another sip. “Yeah. It’s endless reports every night.” He sighs after putting the cup down. “And the deals and meetings with the government.”

“Shouldn’t that be the Gorilla’s workload?” The spoon dangles from Gintoki’s mouth.

“Kondou-san is bad with papers. He makes mistakes and then I have to correct it.” Hijikata scratches the back of his hair, sighing yet again. “There are things that he doesn’t need to know.”

Hijikata looks at Gintoki’s direction, but only on the level of his half-eaten parfait, he doesn’t meet Gintoki’s eyes.

“Those guys really depend on you, huh.” Gintoki scoops the strawberry with the cornflakes. “It’ll fall apart without their Fukucho-san.”

Hijikata meets Gintoki’s eyes.

“It won’t.” He looks down at his cup again; finger circling the handle, but he doesn’t lift it up. “It’s not me that’s holding those guys together, it’s Kondou-san.”

“That’s not true.”

Hijikata only stares at Gintoki who scoops a dollop of the remaining of his ice cream. The raven watches as the permhead takes that spoonful over to his cup of coffee. He dunks the half-melted ice cream into the liquid and stirs it. Hijikata watches the mixture slowly lightening in color.

“That Gorilla wouldn’t be where he is right now without you. It’ll definitely fall apart without their Demonic Vice-commander.” Gintoki clinks the spoon on the cup after he’s done mixing it. Hijikata watches him return to his parfait, scooping the remaining of it into his mouth.

Hijikata looks back at his now murky coffee. He lifts the cup and takes a sip of the now sweetened drink.

“I don’t like sweets.”

Hijikata finishes his coffee.

“… But it’s not that bad.”

Gintoki hums. “It’s a luxury.

**Author's Note:**

> the idea of gintoki and hijikata having a conversation with no other descriptions other than just their actions has been rotting my brain for some time now
> 
> there's a bunch of subtext here but i leave it to your imagination as always <3


End file.
